Centro Legal’s Impact in the Face of Threats to Immigrant Rights

CENTRO LEGAL'S IMPACT IN THE FACE OF THREATS TO IMMIGRANTS

It seems like everyday, the horrors of the current administration’s actions doubles down. Just recently, it was widely reported that ICE detention centers are performing nonconsensual hysterectomies on an unknown number of women currently detained in an ICE facility located in Georgia. At times, combating these monstrous systems can feel insurmountable.

However, there are thousands of immigration advocates, activists, and attorneys working everyday to ensure the dignified and humane treatment of immigrants. Hope is not lost. As a matter of fact, the Immigration Rights team at Centro Legal de la Raza has been working tirelessly on impactful affirmative lawsuits to protect as many immigrants as possible.

Centro Legal began expanding our impact litigation work for immigrant, worker, and tenant rights in 2014, when our Litigation Director, Jesse Newmark, received generous seed funding from the Skadden Foundation.

What is affirmative litigation? Affirmative litigation simply means that a lawsuit is being brought in court against one or more individuals, companies, or government actors for their violations of local, state, or federal laws or constitutions.

Since 2014, Centro Legal has worked with our clients to bring over 50 lawsuits to protect our clients and communities, with 25 active cases.Through this litigation, we have recovered over $10 million for our clients and communities. We have also obtained critical policy changes, forcing landlords to stop harassing their tenants, requiring employers to fix unlawful wage practices, and ordering the government to release immigrants from detention.

Sample of Centro Legal’s current litigation for immigrant rights:

Aleman Gonzalez v. Barr - Together with co-counsel and clients, we won a preliminary injunction requiring the government to provide bond hearings to hundreds of immigrants in detention. Read the most recent press release here.

What’s a preliminary injunction? A preliminary injunction is a court order made in the early stages of a lawsuit which requires one or more parties to do something or stop doing something until a final ruling or outcome.

Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf - We are a plaintiff challenging the administration’s unlawful policy of forcing asylum seekers to return to Mexico and remain there while their cases are considered. We won in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, but the injunction was stayed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Read a press release on the 9th Circuit decision here.

CASA de Maryland v. Wolf - As a plaintiff, we won a preliminary injunction for thousands of asylum seekers who will now be able to apply for work authorization. The Court also recognized that the new rules are causing irreparable harm to asylum seekers. Read the entire press release here.

A WIN FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS!

Sylvia sought help from Centro Legal’s immigration clinic four months before her 18th birthday. She migrated to the U.S. from El Salvador at a time when the current administration stopped asylum cases by instituting the poorly named 'Safe Third Country' rule for migrants who seek asylum after traveling through a third country before arriving in the U.S.

Faced with this challenge, Centro Legal’s team decided the best approach was to apply on Sylvia’s behalf for special immigrant juvenile status, a pathway to a green card for children which includes a family court component. Unfortunately the family court judge refused to issue the requisite findings for special immigrant juvenile status. Because Sylvia was approaching 18, Centro’s lawyers swiftly filed an appeal, partnering with the Alameda County Bar Association, who connected us to a pro bono state court appellate law specialist. In a quick turnaround, the California Court of Appeal overturned the original decision and approved the petition, just days before Sylvia’s birthday.

Time was not on our side, but persistence and dedication prevailed. “This is the best birthday present I could have imagined,” said Sylvia.

It is through your support that Centro Legal continues to make these impactful changes that affect thousands of vulnerable immigrants in our community. We need your help to continue this critical work. We humbly ask that you consider a gift to support our Immigrant Rights’ team in this unprecedented time. Thank you!

SUPPORT IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

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